FORMER Leeds Rhinos head coach Rohan Smith has returned to coaching.
Smith will become the Norths Devils’ head coach from 1 November, returning to the club he led from 2018 to 2022 when he set the foundation for an era that has included three Queensland Cup premierships in four years.
Smith left the Devils to become head coach at Leeds Rhinos, leading them to the Super League grand final in 2022 before he left the Rhinos earlier this year.
He will be rejoined at the Devils by his 2021 assistant coach Kevin Neighbour, who became acting head coach with Ben King in 2022 when Smith went to the UK. Neighbour and King guided the Devils for the rest of the year to back-to-back premierships.
Devils chief executive Troy Rovelli told the club’s website: “Rohan Smith returns to our club as we build on the benchmarks set within this club over recent years. Rohan is simply an outstanding coach who understands our club and specialises in identifying and developing talent.”
Smith said he was delighted to return to the Devils with the experience of his time in the UK.
“I very much enjoyed my five seasons at Norths which produced many friendships and very positive memories for me and my family,” Smith said.
“We’re very much looking forward to coming back to a club that has such a strong history and plays such an important role in its community.
“The future of the Devils continues to be positive and we look forward to the next steps.”
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